AB 551 - Research Methods

Prerequisite(s): AB 550. This course teaches students how to conduct an experiment in applied behavior analysis that is methodologically and logically sound, socially valid, ethical, and legal. The course covers the major experimental designs used in applied behavior analysis, observation and data collection techniques, graphical and statistical analysis of data, and procedures for getting a study approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The course also covers experimental and quasi-experimental designs used in other areas of psychology, including how to conduct and critique these studies and the advantages and limitations of each. By the end of the course students should be able to submit, conduct, present, and write up an experiment in applied behavior analysis, and to write an expert review of an experimental report for a peer-reviewed journal. Students should be able to critically analyze research from areas other than behavior analysis, as both professionals and consumers, and explain why a particular analysis or conclusion is or is not appropriate. (3 credits)